The Light Unfolding: Noxzo's Journey
by CaliforniaChrome
Summary: Noxzo gets kicked out of the Druid pack. Devastated and mixed-up, Noxzo tries to find a mate. A flaw in his plans comes in when he tries to fight off a grizzly and he gets hurt. He needs to find the toughness inside of him. His whole life had been wolves taunting him about being the runt. This realization may be the difference between life and death. Rated T for violence. Enjoy! :)
1. Feeling of Misery

Part I-Chapter I

The stars shone high above on the Amethyst Mountain Slopes. Everything was still. Noxzo twisted around, grunting, not having slept well for the last two days. Overhead a slight breeze swept the leaves, rustling the green stiff pines. Light scattered on the ground, creating puzzles of white, unearthly patches of grass. The moon soared across the sky. The wolf's reddish-brown pelt shimmered. Noxzo couldn't sleep.

_Tizgone leapt in front of Noxzo. "You get out of here, pup. You don't belong here," Tizgone snarled, baring his yellowing teeth. "Leave now!" Noxzo didn't move. He sat there, tail erect, ears perked up. He wasn't going anywhere. Tizgone swatted at him with his large paws. Noxzo fell beneath him, yet got back up. Tizgone grabbed Noxzo's scruff of fur, and pulled him down. "You listen to me closely, you mangy dog. Leave, go and find your own mate! And don't come back! You are useless to this pack. You can't even break a twig. I can't even call you a Druid. Shame is the pack you belong in!" Tizgone slammed his broad head into Noxzo's flank. Surprised by the viciousness of the attack, Noxzo ran far, crossing into the Amethyst Mountain Slopes, towards a new pack. Maybe he'd find a mate there. Soda Butte Vista was history; and so was the rough-brown wolf with the blue eyes, Tizgone._

The fir trees towered above him. Sunlight filtered the air. Noxzo began to run with the wind up the Slopes. He could smell wolves' odor, their scent markings which lined their territory. He never stopped to think; he just went forward into the Specimen territory. Noxzo concentrated on scent. The yellow dots, which were the markings, were like sign posts saying FOLLOW ME. More dots seemed to appear in his nose and eye combination. The firs lessened, opening up into a field. The yellow grass swayed back and forth. Noxzo walked forward and right before his eyes, a medium-sized female Specimen stared at him. Noxzo stared back, transfixed. He could imagine standing on a den site, overlooking the Lamar Valley, or maybe the Burn, or the Fossil Forest. Yes, she _was_ the one. Her stomach leading up to her nose, and up to her stop, was a whitish-tan burning bright into a marvelous red pelt. Noxzo walked right up to her.

"What do you want?" Her voice was sharp, sawing Noxzo in half. He broke down. Noxzo dug his head between his paws; giving a high submission. What had he been thinking?

"I'm not boss; I don't belong here," he whimpered. Was that the best he could do? He should at least fight for her affection.

"Then you better scram," she snarled. Her hackles bristled.

Noxzo fought the urge to run. "Lay off," he growled.

She bared her teeth. "Get out of here, little cry-baby!" Noxzo yelped and ran, yet again. Maybe Tizgone was right; he was petty.

Pine needles scratched his face, bark grabbing at his withers. Tears filled his eyes. He had let everything go wrong. A dark brown male hare jumped across his path. Noxzo ran two strides, and then slapped it with his paw. Immediate death was for sure. His fangs tore into the fur. The warm blood felt soothing on his sore tongue and his raw throat. He pressed his muzzle into the red mangled mess, lapping up the meat. Noxzo left nothing but fur. Coyotes circled him, though the waiting was a disappointment for them. Noxzo continued on at a decent clip.

Eagles screeched from above. Hawks startled Noxzo by doing their famous killer dive at 100 to 200 miles per hour. Noxzo was trotting now, scanning the Douglas Fir Forest's needled ground. The wind shifted, and Noxzo could smell the carcass. It had to be a bull elk that had been brought down! In Yellowstone, one never found bull elk carcasses. A low gruff sound came from twenty-three yards away. A grizzly bear was yanking at a piece of grizzle from the bull elk. The bull elk's blood soaked the grass, staining the world around it with a carnivore's signal of food. The bear tore off a huge hunk of meat from the bull elk's hind quarters. Tendons, veins, and muscles shown out of the horrific sight of the large piece of meat dangling out of the grizzly's mouth. Blood coated the grizzly's face, rising up to its ears. Some of the blood had caked, leaving clumps of mangled hair poking up from its head. Noxzo stumbled backwards. _If you want a mate, you have to toughen up! _Noxzo advanced towards the bear. _OOwwwhhhhlll! Barghk! _Noxzo tried to scare the grizzly bear off. It wasn't working like planned. The bear screamed back in his face. _Garghhh!_ Two cubs came out from behind the grizzly. Two cubs! A mother! How could anything get worse? The grizzly stood its ground. Noxzo stepped another pace forward. Then another, then swack! A ruffle filled his eardrums, then all hearing ceased. His vision brightened into whiteness, and then flashed into black. The world was draining away. _No._ He wouldn't let himself black out.

He placed his paws beneath him, and brought himself back into a standing position. The form of the grizzly bear and the two miniature ones brought him back to reality. Everything was hazy, but that wasn't going to stop Noxzo from getting the food he wanted, the nourishment he needed. Noxzo exposed his teeth. The grizzly stood up on her hind legs. She had to be at least eight feet. Noxzo's pitiful instincts told him to flee, but his mind told him to go forward. He took one step, then a second, then a third. The grizzly dropped back down onto all fours. She bellowed at him. Yet, he didn't move one inch back. Instead, he crept forwards. The grizzly moved towards him quicker than Noxzo's reaction time. The grizzly swept her head around Noxzo, tearing at his stifle, while stepping on his pastern. A loud crack emitted from his pastern; the force had popped it. Pain first reached his brain from the stifle's muscle tearing, yet within seconds, his mind was focused on his pastern. He couldn't tell if it was broken or sprained. The mother grizzly had turned around. Adrenaline coursed through his body. He leapt high into the air, landing on the grizzly's back. His claws cut into the landing spot, while his fangs flashed then vanished deep into the grizzly's withers. She howled with pain. Noxzo was in a spot she couldn't get to. The cubs scampered up the tree, scared of the wolf, and of their mother's big feet stomping around madly. Noxzo was relentless. He consistently ripped her withers open, drawing blood.

_He was back hanging out with his mother. Tizgone appeared from the trees. His mother shoved Noxzo behind her, even though he was a more than capable two-year-old. "Give him to me!" Tizgone demanded. _

_Rignersh, his mother, replied sharply, "No. You can leave him to me. He can stay here!" _

_Tizgone let out a deep throated growl. "He isn't fit for the Druid Pack. Let him join the Dispersals. Noxzo isn't worth my time to train for a Protector! Now give him to me." _

_Tizgone raised his hackles, appearing nearly three fourths the size of an adult grizzly. "You've heard my answer. No, and that's final. Leave!" Rignersh bared her teeth. Tizgone pounced on top of her. She squealed like a newborn pup. Tizgone tore his teeth into her back and withers. She fell down in a pool of blood, staining her gold-red pelt. Rignersh ceased to move any longer. Noxzo attempted to walk away from Tizgone. Tizgone leapt in front of Noxzo. "Get out of here, pup. You-"_

Noxzo loosened his grip, and roughly slid off the back of the Grizzly. She stumbled away with the cubs, glaring back at him in utter anger. "It's only this time! I'll chase you to the underworld next time! You'll see. I won't kill you; I'm not like _him_." Noxzo said "him" in complete disgust. The bear shuffled down and out of the woods, out into the prairies, towards the Dry Creek and the Burn. "She won't make it that whole way," Noxzo mumbled under his breath. It was a long trek towards the next Elk hunting ground which was within the Burn's radius. Noxzo began to follow the path of the bear, except slightly northward, when he noticed the bull elk. He had completely forgotten about the shredded bull elk. Now that he looked closer; it was mainly all snapped bones, skin, and grizzle. A few shards of meat were left, including a smashed up heart that was a ghastly color from being torn out of the body; torn away from all of the other innards. Noxzo looked at it in disgust. He moved it away from the bull elk's body, so he could eat in peace without the gruesome bluish color the heart seemed to emit. _Just like Tizgone's eyes; blue eyes, like mine. _Noxzo tore himself from the thought. He didn't want anything to do with Tizgone.

The carcass didn't serve much nutrition, though it gave him something to tear at and get his frustration towards Tizgone out. Noxzo decided that he would rest inside of the bull elk; its ribcage offered some protection. Noxzo huddled down; snarling at his pastern. He would sleep throughout the night…if pain and memories would allow that mercy.


	2. Pain and Life Collide

Chapter II

_He was sleeping with the bull elk carcass, its ribcage above him. He heard a muffled walking, like paws padding the leaves. His head snapped up. Wolf. Their blue eyes met, colliding, reflecting each other's being. Rage, hatred flared up inside Noxzo's heart. He knew this wolf; how could he forget him? Tizgone was back, most likely hunting Noxzo down! Everything happened in a flash. Noxzo grabbed Tizgone at the withers, while Tizgone angled his head and bit Noxzo's pastern. Noxzo gripped on harder; blood was drawing now, soaking their fur. Noxzo's pastern was aching to the point of yipping away from the fight. Tizgone latched his jaws on-_

Noxzo woke up. His pastern was stuck at a weird angle. He looked around; no wolves were there. It was just a dream. Noxzo fought through the pain and straightened his pastern as normal. The blaze inside his pastern flared. That didn't slow the joy that Noxzo had when he realized that if he could move it, it probably wasn't broken. He couldn't sleep, but he rested until the sun peaked over the mountains.

Noxzo stood up to a stabbing pain. _I have to walk some. If I can get to the Grassy Plain, I can find the Slough pack. Whether I find a mate there doesn't matter. All I have to do is conquer a larger Slough male, and then I'll have some dominance on my side. I can continue scanning for a Dispersal Wolf, as most Pack wolves wouldn't leave their pack for me. The Dispersal's will take me. I just have to like them. I could move on back to the Specimen Pack. They're weaker; better chances for me. _Noxzo put his pastern down. Tingling throbbed at his front right leg. An inferno raced up his bones. Noxzo had never experienced anything like it. His stifle didn't bother him anymore; the whole thing had scabbed, leaving a large black, brown, and red color on his right hind. Noxzo would need to trust his left side to handle most of the walking. The trees seemed to stay over his head for hours. It took Noxzo forty-five minutes to make a twenty-minute journey to the beginning of the prairies. The only large water source known _not_ to dry up was a small lake above the Dead Tree. Noxzo only knew about all of the landmarks because of his mom. In the Druid Pack, all pups that will for certain leave the pack aren't allowed to know anything about the landmarks. The thing was, his mom knew he would have to leave, having been the smallest and weakest in the pack's pups. So, she told him anyway. Noxzo knew that was one reason she got slaughtered. It was because of him.

The silky grass brushed against all of his scars: the scars on his pastern, on his hind, the scars in his mind. The grass seemed to heal them. So tender were the little wheat seeds. Rolling hills lay before Noxzo. Clouds loomed above him. The sun made the air warm. It would be a tough journey, and Noxzo knew it. He also knew that he would make it. He was stronger than the Specimens now. If he had turned around right now and went back and fought one, he would win. No Specimen would hold up like he was managing currently. The Specimens were warmer than the Druids were when it came to their heart. The Specimens wouldn't be used to the climate, the roughness that Noxzo endured. The Specimens were used to being kicked out with another one. Like two sisters who could manage the distance _together_. Noxzo had nobody with him. It was just him; just him and his rising spirit.

Noxzo felt no more pain, even though it was still deep inside. He let himself run, let his tail fly high in the breeze. He was free from the agony that no longer enclosed him to his perilous death. If he didn't overcome the pain, he would surely die from lost hope. Noxzo trotted down a slope, where he stopped halfway down. He could see Dry Creek! The earth seemed to flip over, and backwards. Noxzo lost his footing. He tumbled downwards. What had seemed like a dream in Heaven turned into the opposite: a nightmare in the Underworld. Pain seeped into Noxzo. He felt the sprained pastern, the reopened scab. His immorality had vanished. He was a mortal wolf. A mortal wolf feeling the misery of the real world, a world he _thought_ he had conquered. Yet, here he was, bleeding from his stifle up to his flank, favoring his horridly sprained pastern. Within minutes, four coyotes had surrounded Noxzo. His blood stained the grass; it was soaked into the earth. Soon, grizzlies would smell the stench wafting from the blood-soaked ground. Two more coyotes came to watch the wolf. Noxzo looked up at the predators. He shoved his ears forward, lifted up his muzzle, and let out a bone-splitting snarl. The six coyotes backed off, three running away. Noxzo pretended to look fine. He limped across the valley. He was only traveling one yard about every two or three minutes. Coyotes stalked him in the high grass. They yipped, and tormented him.

Noxzo had had enough. He bit a coyote on his right, and sank his teeth into its neck. He leaped onto another coyote behind him, and he tore its back into shreds. He smacked another one on the nose, digging his claws in half an inch. No forgiveness. He wasn't going to die like this, so the coyotes might as well figure it out. Noxzo stopped moving. He raised his head up to the air and howled a rich, strong howl. The coyotes ran off, birds squawked and flew into the sky, and to Noxzo's luck, a grizzly shied off from the sound and ran towards Dry Creek; away from the cow elk carcass. Noxzo ate the carcass until there were only bones. He slept next to the carcass, remembering the bull elk, and how he wished he hadn't challenged that grizzly. It would have saved him days. He could've traveled fast; and lived off of hares and other carcasses, but no, he had to have that bull elk. _Everyone makes mistakes, right? Just they make small ones, while I make the big mistakes. I may as well forget about this trek to find a mate. I'm still a day or two from my destination. I could've been there tonight if it weren't for this trouble._

Noxzo continued the next morning. Mid-summer was closing in quickly. The days grew warmer. Noxzo didn't have the cool shade of the cave he was used to. He could only manage a slow jog all day long. The air was clear, and not muggy, which added a grain of happiness his spirit.

Night came before Noxzo knew it. He had managed to get to the far side of Dry Creek. He wandered around; looking for a hare. He stopped and looked at a decent-sized mud puddle. A shape of a bunny lay engraved in the mud. It was a large female, Noxzo guessed. He tracked it down…one hundred and twenty-five yards away; the rabbit was taking a snooze in a thicket of tall grass. Noxzo stalked it, but for no reason. The rabbit, thinking it was safe in the tall grass, lay on its side, careless to the world. Noxzo pounced on it. His canines caught its neck. Within twenty seconds, it was dead. Noxzo bit at the body, tearing large chunks out; he hadn't eaten all day. The bones lay on the grass; a sight Noxzo was used to. Meat clung to the snapped bones. Noxzo licked the meat off, and lapped up the bloody meat in the grass that he had missed. Nothing was going to waste. Noxzo finished up, and traveled a little bit farther until his leg told him enough was enough. He lay down, waiting for the sun to peak above the ridges. Sleep was impossible in these days.

A tender smell of meat drifted to him. Noxzo stretched, trying to ignore his pastern. He continued his pitiful jog again. With his pastern and the heat and dehydration and food to worry about, his scab didn't bother him one tiny bit. Noxzo drew closer to the carcass. It was a fat cow elk. Noxzo yipped with joy! He bounded closer, just to stop in his tracks. A male grizzly stood on two legs; looming above Noxzo. _Not this time!_ Noxzo stood there, hackles raised, a snarl emitting from his mouth, teeth bared, and tail erect. The bear stood for a while; hoping Noxzo would back off. But Noxzo stayed in the same position. The bear slammed his feet back down, and ran off. Noxzo approached the reddened meat. The bear must've been the second visitor, and a while after this elk was originally killed. In the head where the eye used to be, white slimy things crawled around everywhere. They moved up and around each other, nestling into the pit in the head. Noxzo withdrew from the body. He came towards the elk's rump, and ate the meat from the rump to the withers. That would have to do. Noxzo trotted off again.


	3. A Win for an Underdog

Chapter III

It was peaceful. Nothing was bothering Noxzo except the heat and his healing pastern. Noxzo began to slow to a walk, enjoying his time away from the pack for the first time. He put his left front paw down, and instead of grass, felt ooze envelope his forepaw. Something watery went up to his pastern. Noxzo jumped back in alarm. He couldn't believe his eyes. Water! He hadn't drunken real water since he was in his home pack, several days ago! He'd been soaking up his water from the juice he had gotten from the rabbits and elk. Noxzo kneeled down, and lapped the puddle clean of water. Now he knew why the bear had been hanging around. Fully hydrated and refreshed, Noxzo began to lope. A wind came and blew Noxzo's fur around. Everything had a better tone. Noxzo thought of living like this all the time, roaming the country, fighting wolves, who would want a mate? Pups are too much work. Aren't they? Noxzo was having mixed emotions at this point. A lot of wolves didn't know what to do at this stage, even when they were so close to finding a mate. He settled down one last time until he would go into the Slough territory. Next morning would be the time to continue his quest.

A sprinkling rain began. Noxzo could smell the Sloughs' stench. He ran into their territory. He paused, found the scent, and then ran forward, following the urine tracks. He almost ran right into the wolf. Noxzo whipped back around. He got into a meeting position. It was a male, with an exquisite black pelt.

"I'm boss around here," the wolf said.

"I'm boss, now," Noxzo snarled.

"You wouldn't dare challenge me!" Noxzo flared up; hackles bristling to full peak. Forget about saying anything this time. The wolf replied to Noxzo's posture, with his tail straight, he nipped at Noxzo, "Get out of here, this is my turf!" Noxzo felt the wolf's canines tear at his shoulder. _That's it, buddy! You're going down, Thincox._ Noxzo had heard stories about this wolf; he was leader of the southwestern part of the Slough Pack, just like his- just like Tizgone. It had to be Thincox; he was exceedingly aggressive. The rain picked up to a downpour. Thincox rose up on two legs to come down to bite Noxzo, but Noxzo was too quick. He drove his head towards the ground, then came back up, muzzle facing to the sky, he opened up his jaws, and bit down on Thincox's under-neck, just as Thincox landed down on Noxzo's back. Noxzo ignored the flames yet again, and bit Thincox's windpipe in half. Blood sprayed from the wolf's neck, splattering Noxzo's face. Every droplet was warm on Noxzo's face. The smell was unbearable. The rain mixed with the blood, blearing Noxzo's vision with red rain.

"Why yough-" Thincox's eyes turned into a cloudy grey as the light left him. Noxzo let his body fall to the ground. Noxzo raised his head and howled the rich howl he gave to the animals around him. Lightning struck a tree to Noxzo's right, not even startling Noxzo. In that fight, Noxzo had made up his mind. He was going to find a mate. Before that, though, he had one last mission. Kill Tizgone. Then get a mate from either the Druid or the Specimen, maybe the Slough...

Noxzo continued running through the rain. His coat turned into a mucky color from the water and mud. He decided that the envy for fresh elk meat was too great. He would head towards the Elk hunting grounds for a snack. Mud splashed behind Noxzo, covering his rump in brown layers of ick. Scents of carcasses caught his nose, but he continued onward. Noxzo halted, before him laid the lake. He dipped his muzzle into the water and drank. After his stomach was full of water, he doggy-paddled to the shore on the other side; cleaning off the mud. He made a fast few hundred yards, coming to the edge of thee Douglas Fir Forest before he stopped to settle down. Noxzo had nothing to do, so he thought to himself while the rain pounded the firs above. _Wolves in this age are strange. Great-Nanny always motioned to the pack with her ears, tail, or other body parts. Now, wolves have taken on talking. I have, too. Maybe I'll try not to. And another thing that's weird is I haven't seen one wolf out of a territory since I left. Maybe the packs are more secretive then I imagined. _Noxzo fell asleep thinking about Great-Nanny and wolves not leaving the pack line to get fresh elk.

A crow cawed in the tree limb practically right above Noxzo. He lifted his head up wearily, eyes blinking slowly. Why was he so tired? This had been his first sound sleep in days. No worries had come to him; days were still away from the meeting with Tizgone. The last few stratus clouds were hanging above the forest, and coming were the cumulus.

"One day you'll walk on those clouds, and see the world below. A piece of cotton beneath your paws," Rignersh would always say to Noxzo. He peered up at the fluffs of clouds. His mother was walking on them right now, looking down at him from above. Noxzo threw back his head and howled. Every creature seemed to stop to hear his howl. It was a gift from the angles; from the cotton clouds. Noxzo wasn't very smart about the howl types. He had been howling to his mom; but he didn't know that this howl he sent was a signal for any wolf in the area to join his hunt.

Noxzo began cantering away, blue-crystal eyes fixed on the elk hoof indentations ahead of him. The leaves crackled under his paws; blocking out the answering howl that came from in-between the Specimen and the hunting ground area. A surprise guest was listening.


	4. Love Moves to Quick for a Wolf

Chapter IV

Noxzo caught a fresh smell. Seven cow elk stood grazing by an ancient fir. No bull elk? What a coincidence. Noxzo lowered his belly to the ground. The elk were up-wind of him, and they were facing away from him. No hunt could be this perfect. Noxzo crept forward, and then stopped. His eyes surveyed the land around him, looking for ditches, mud, or mole holes. He found a mole tunnel approximately six yards away from the cows. Noxzo then looked at the cow elk. One of them had to be days away from death, another looked like a young one; which would suit a single wolf just fine. The other four were the usual type, strong, sturdy, and tough to bring down without a mate or hunting partner. Noxzo lowered himself even farther to the ground. A sudden blast overcame his body. It seemed that for the first time Noxzo realized who he was. Every wolf had tormented him about how small and weak he was. Well, he wasn't. His muscles rippled, his heart pounded. They would see just how strong he was in three days. Tizgone would be dead!

The elk simultaneously moved a few steps forward, finding more grass. Noxzo locked onto his target. It wasn't young, it wasn't old, but instead it was a large cow elk. Two yards away…. Noxzo steps on a twig, and it snaps. A little _pop! _And the elk looks around. One looks behind them and sees Noxzo. It bolts, white rump and tail warning the others. The old one gets a move on quickly, having great experience. The young one follows its mother, while one gets a late start, Noxzo's target.

Noxzo lunges after the elk, asking his body for all the power he's got. Noxzo presses in on its hocks. He nips its foot and the elk stumbles, her hoof falling into the mole's trap. A splintering crack pounds the air. Its leg snaps in half, and the elk plunges face first into the dirt. She twitches, living but in the highest pain that the elk has ever felt. Gasps escape her mouth, wanting more air. Her eyes glow with fear and emit pain. Noxzo dives towards the cow elk's neck, and snaps her jugular. The elk stops moving. Blood gurgles in bubbles out of her mouth. It's dead. Noxzo begins eating, trying to ignore the sound of blood rushing out of the elk's mouth.

*The Specimen female races towards the hunting grounds. She hears no more howls for help with killing an elk. Maybe the howl was false? Nah, why would it be? She scans the area with her creamy-dream steel color eyes. She walked on, hoping to find the male that had called that call. Was he a Druid, or perhaps a Slough male? She had heard that Druids were strong, and usually aggressive. Sloughs weren't her type. A Druid male might be able to protect her pups from dangers, as long as he was tough or smart. Sloughs didn't seem much like a deal. A loud snap split the air. Her ears perked up. She goes towards the sound without hesitation. While she continues running, she heard another howl; a strong one.

Noxzo tore out large hunks of meat, this cow elk had been a good choice. Not much fat, just juicy meat. He let out a soothing howl of delight. Then he dipped his head back down to eat some more. He must've forgotten the taste of fresh meat.

*She saw him. He was a small male, yet about her height. He had firm muscles underneath his red-brown fur. His eyes were a velvet-ice blue, darker than her steel grey eyes, but similar. She had been hanging around her pack turf for some time, even though she had been told to go and find her own mate and have her own pups. She had decided to leave that morning to go hunting when she had heard his howl. She wanted a mate desperately, and she could see the two of them together as mates, if he was the right one. She crept closer, staying downwind of the munching male Druid.

Noxzo could hear a wolf behind him, but didn't fret. This was his kill, and he would do anything to protect it. He continued snacking on tender piece of grub. The wolf snuck up to his right. Noxzo gave a small sneaky snarl. The wolf went in front of him, on the other side of his kill. He was about to give a louder growl when he looked up, and their eyes locked. His teeth still stayed stuck in a growl position, but his lip fell down over his teeth after three seconds. He knew she wanted to be his mate. The look made it obvious. Noxzo was a little startled, so he just shoved his head back into the food. This isn't what he wanted. He needed to kill Tizgone first. He wanted to go slowly into love. He never even saw this wolf before! But her eyes and her tawny pelt. It urged him on, yet he said _No_ to himself. She wagged her tail, clearly stating "Hello," in the motion language. _She speaks like Great-Nanny and all of the old wolves! But does she know how to talk?_

"Hi," it was weak, yet that was what the wag of the tail meant.

"Do you understand the movements? Or can you only speak?" The stunning she-wolf requested.

Noxzo fumbled with his words, "I know what…. Great-Nanny…. I know the movements." She tried to hide her expression of laughter.

"What's your name," she asked.

"Noxzo." He attempted to show what he knew from Great-Nanny. He lifted his tail upwards the wagged it twice, and then pointed it towards her.

"My name is Zhypker," she replied.

"That's a beautiful name," Noxzo said. Zhypker wagged her tail shyly, and then said, "I always thought it was dumb sounding, but what do I know? I've been stuck with it for two years. Anyways, do you want to go hunting? I know you just ate, but it'd be fun to hunt together." Noxzo shoved his ears forward to say, "Yes."

Zhypker was the tracker, and she was excellent at it. The wolves were silent, using ears and tails to communicate. Noxzo tipped one ear back, then towards the right. Zhypker watched the sign. She flicked her ear to respond. They found the elk herd. A bull elk led nine healthy cow elk. A tough challenge, but one the two couldn't manage. The pair was facing west and so was the elk herd. Noxzo went around the right side of the herd. He went several yards up the hill from the elk, so he was in front. He hid in the brush, ready to ambush. Noxzo laid his ears flat for a split second, and Zhypker charged at the herd. The elk came charging towards Noxzo and galloped right in front of him. Noxzo saw an elk's withers and jumped up and bit it. The elk swung its head around and flung its weight from side to side, trying to get Noxzo to let go. In eight seconds, Noxzo slid off it and saw Zhypker zoom up to grab the elk's rump. Blood dribbled out of the hind. When Zhypker let go, Noxzo would grab it. The two continued the technique for several minutes until the elk was running as slow as an injured wolf. Zhypker bit it's raw rump again while Noxzo side-panned it and bit the elk's throat. The cow elk fell into a mass of meat, blood, and guts. The elk shape took on to more of a glob of chewed-up meat. They ate together, but Noxzo only had a few bites. He felt relaxed until he realized what was going to happen next.

Noxzo lay under a large fir tree that had soft padded moss on the bottom trunk. He watched Zhypker eat. She finished up the carcass and came over to Noxzo. He felt his heart shiver cold. Zhypker made a play bow. She repeatedly did so. Noxzo got up and bowed, too. He didn't know what he was supposed to say to her. Was he supposed to make the life-changing move? Was she going to ask him? Should he run away from her, go on with his plan to kill Tizgone? What would this decent wolf say about her planning-mate wanting to put being her mate on hold because he wanted to kill his father? Noxzo's head whirled around, too much to think about. He would have to answer all of those questions now.

"Zhypker," Noxzo felt his head clog up, his heart pound, "do you want to start a pack together?" Noxzo knew she would say yes, he knew she liked him that much.

"Yes, Noxzo, I do," she yipped. What had he done? Noxzo nudged Zhypker. She looked at him with overwhelming joy. He stood as tall as he could, standing the height of a Slough male, yet he was stronger. Zhypker had hardly any doubt that Noxzo would be able to defend the pups.

"There are not many den sites around here, and there are the three large packs. We can search for a while; but it would be faster to get to go towards the Slough Creek area," Noxzo suggested. Zhypker said they would go to Slough Creek, but first she wanted to look around the Amethyst Mountain range.


	5. Time is the Key

Part II-Chapter V

It took several months to check every nook and cranny in the pair's home range. Every den was by another den, or taken by another wolf or the inside was rough and unchangeably horrid. So, they continued towards Slough Creek.

Snow flurries landed on the grass In front of them. The pair had ended up on Little Butte. Noxzo scanned the area, facing north. He noticed a small hill to the north-west of them. It was near the Saddle Meadows, and near an elk hunting ground. The question was, could Zhypker, who couldn't make it up the butte, make it up the hill, or swim across the river? Noxzo walked carefully down the slope, rocks sliding underneath his paws. Noxzo got to the southern end of the butte.

"Zhypker, I think I found it, the perfect den! It's across the river, and up that hill." Zhypker walked along the edge of the butte and around to the northern edge.

"Across the river, are you nuts? I can't swim like this, and I have to go up _that_?" She poked her nose up at the hill. "Well, we can follow the river east, and see where it takes us." Zhypker gave him that '_Duh, we should've just done that' _look. Noxzo lightly put his nose on her swollen belly. The clock was ticking dangerously close to the days. Noxzo would have thought Zhypker would be bored of him feeling the pups squirm around, or press his nose lightly against her stomach, but she seemed to enjoy his caringness.

They traveled insanely slow. Noxzo got bored walking, so he jumped into the river and swam instead. Zhypker shook her tawny head. "If you knew how annoying it was to walk like this, feeling like you ate three bull elk… you would be up here comforting me." Noxzo climbed out of the river, shivering from the cold. A light dusting of snow had settled on Zhypker's back.

"Could you lick that off for me? I can't really shake." Noxzo licked her pelt. He loved how soft her fur was, and she loved his tongue caressing her pelt. Noxzo nibbled at her croup, knowing that it tickled Zhypker. "Stop!" she giggled. He did it again. "Stop," Zhypker snarled this time. She wasn't joking or playing around. "You want pups, right? It's not just me? Otherwise, if you keep on making me jiggle around because I'm laughing, it's a possibility that the pups may die. Then most of this year will have been for nothing. We'll have to wait to have pups next year. I don't know about you, but I want to have them. You can leave if you don't." Noxzo lowered his head, lightly flattened his ears, and tucked in his tail as a low submission.

"I didn't mean… I'm sorry, Zhypker. I'm new to this stuff. I wasn't like you. I didn't have my Mom or Dad explain how to handle this. My Dad was a… wasn't like a father to me. My mom, well, she was busy with the pack work and stuff…."

Zhypker scolded him, "Stop being so submissive." Noxzo perked up right away. He was just like an overgrown pup. She shook her head.

"I'm cold," Zhypker whimpered after a few minutes. She moved closer to Noxzo. He radiated with warm heat. She felt warm in general after a while, but felt especially warm in her heart. They stopped to huddle in a long patch of grass just before the elk hunting grounds. Zhypker was shivering. It was sixteen degrees, and not getting any warmer. Noxzo rose, leaving her to the cold, forcing her to leave with him. Frost actually began clinging to her withers which Noxzo tried to keep warm by licking. They needed to find a den, and fast.

The couple didn't plain hunting in the grounds, so they moved onwards until they noticed a large tree to the west.

"Should we see if that's a-" Zhypker answered immediately, "Yes." On the slope before the large fir laid an elk that had recently died from old age. Its bones were frail; breaking beneath the wolves' teeth. The meat had a strange alien taste to it, probably from the animal's age. They ate to the bones, and then continued up. A hole appeared in a rock that had the tree's roots surrounding it, the tree sitting on top. It was nice, but close to stranger wolf territory. Noxzo turned left, and went northward.

"I need to stop," Zhypker panted. Noxzo's tail straightened, "We can't, there has to be a den up ahead. Do you know any possibilities, maybe your Mom told you, because I haven't heard of any dens by Slough Creek's beginning." She thought for a while.

"My Mum did actually say something about a hard-to-find cave up in the Slough Creek's radius. She said that I should use it if Amethyst Mountain dens proved to be useless. She said that with the experience she passed down to me from stories and the details of the regions; I should be able to find the hidden den." Noxzo considered.

"Then, why don't we move onward?" Zhypker obediently followed. She knew he didn't want a pregnant she-wolf, even an unhealthy wolf that was under his care, particularly _his _mate, to be even close to a wolf pack. He even had a theory that it was a Druid Pack Territory which meant increased danger because of Noxzo's father and that the Druids were his birth pack.

Frost multiplied, freezing Zhypker's tawny pelt. Noxzo had been able to move enough to avoid the cold's death clench. "Speed up some! The temperature's dropping, and I need to get you warm." Zhypker loved it when Noxzo mentioned how he was her protector, her stronghold, and when he said something that indirectly made it sound like he was responsible for her life, the duty his. Maybe after a while it made her irritable, but not usually. It made her feel toasty inside, knowing she had someone there. She sped up to a light, even-paced trot for a while. The love that tied them together seemed like it could snap in a fight, but the truth was that they were linked together. The secrets they shared. Nothing could break them apart. Not even death.

"I have another idea!" Noxzo yelped so loud, Zhypker's hackles bristled.

"What!" She sounded scared, her heart beating exceedingly fast. She slowly calmed down.

"If I'm as strong as I think I may be… You can lean on my back." Zhypker didn't know what to think. Noxzo had told her about his whole life of wolves telling him how weak he was, but within the few isolated days he had, he learned his 'inner strength.' He _was_ small for a Druid male; though that didn't make Zhypker judge him. Noxzo stopped moving. Zhypker put her front paws on his back. Then put her back paw on his stomach. She began slipping, and Noxzo kneeled down, allowing her to gently place her feet back down.

"Sorry, Zhyp, I wasn't thinking of your stomach and the pups. We'll just have to walk a bit farther." She let out a heart-breaking whine. Noxzo ignored her, making her follow him a little farther.

"There," Zhypker muttered. Another super-large-mutated fir stood covering up a rock that had a hole facing the west. It was only a small trip to the water, and a far ways away from the nearest wolf territory that the pair knew of. It was a slight trek to the closest elk hunting grounds, but Noxzo would do anything for Zhyp.

"Get inside," Noxzo urged her. He shoved her inside. It was a den worth dying for. The inside was smoothed out from use, the roots never emerging from the den's walls. It had a good packed down sense. It also had a smell of… Coyote!

"Noxzo, this isn't good-" Noxzo cut her off by lifting his paw up and placing it on her nose.

"You really think they'll challenge a large, strong, determined, strong willed, muscled Druid male like me?" The way he said it made Zhypker wag her tail. She lay in the back of the den; Noxzo's back facing the entryway, blocking the cold. His head was up; he would stay awake and wait for the coyote. Zhypker looked down at Noxzo's legs that were outstretched. She invited herself to lay her head down on his paws. Noxzo grimaced slightly as his old pastern's pain flared open, but it was worth it for her. While she began to fall into a light sleep, Noxzo murmured, "We didn't have enough time to enjoy the time." He protectively laid his head on hers, seemingly forgetting about the coyote.


	6. Blizzard Blowing

Chapter VI

Small vibrations echoed through the floor. Noxzo lifted up his head and craned it above his back. Standing at the door was a snarling coyote. It wasn't just emotionally mad. It was mad. Mad as in the rabid kind of mad. Foam came pouring down the coyote's mouth in globs. Noxzo pawed Zhypker. She flung her head up, and saw the coyote. She scrunched up far into the corner. Noxzo shoved his rump towards the back of the den, with his head facing the front. The coyote's tongue lolled out of his mouth.

"Strike at him, and fast," Zhypker whined. He took her word for it. He struck his claws at the coyote's muzzle. The coyote attempted to bite him, but Noxzo was too quick. The coyote, a female, tried to ebb forward. Noxzo felt butterflies in his stomach. He threw both of his paws forward and cut a fourth of an inch into the coyote's face. She yowled, and yanked her face out of the hole. Blood surfaced to the cuts within seconds. The coyote whipped her head around, facing Noxzo. From the force of movement, her blood sprang from her wound to Noxzo's face, making it seem like they were both cut.

Zhypker was getting over-excited, which wasn't good when this close to giving birth. Noxzo knew that any length of time with Zhyp worked up would mean possible death of his pups. He jabbed his fore-leg at the coyote's eye. It seemed to pop, and then slice open. Blood flowed like a river down her right eye socket. Strange white juice-liquid stuff emerged mixing with the blood. It was a sort of stringy line that kept on coming out of the socket, with no end. Noxzo stuck his claws out, and cut the other eye. With both visual producers gone, the coyote fell out backwards. Noxzo bit its stomach. She swiveled around, biting at thin air. Blood, saliva and white-stringy-stuff hung off of the nightmare's face.

"What are you nipping at, mosquitoes?" Noxzo yipped, taunting the rabid monster. She turned in circles, not able to find him. When her neck turned around, exposed, Noxzo dug his teeth into the fur, ripping the muscles and tissues. He withdrew quickly, tearing out a large chunk of the coyote's neck. She 'stared' at him, baring her pearl teeth. Noxzo barked at it, and slowly stepped back. His paw stepped in something wet. It was her blood and the white lines swirled within. Noxzo stepped backward faster. The coyote began charging, her neck splattering claret on Noxzo's face as he silently side-stepped the coyote, who kept on running into the woods. Her wound would kill her, no doubt about that. Noxzo walked into the den. The blood and excess interior body parts lay there as well.

"Are you alright?" Zhypker barked.

"I'm fine, worry about the pups. I'll get the place cleaned up some. Noxzo trotted back out of the den and went out of the den's territory. He found a large fir tree branch that hung down to the ground. The needles were a healthy green. Noxzo bit the branch off, and carried it to the bloody-mixed line. He got some of the icky stuff onto the 'broom,' and threw the branch into the forest. A light bit of snow began to drift down; turning red, soaking up the blood. Noxzo took mouthfuls of snow to wash the inside of the den, and then came in to sleep until he heard a cry in the morning.

"Noxzo," Zhypker howled. He flashed up from his sleep in a flash. She lay there, on her side, her stomach bulging. _They shouldn't come for another week or more! _Noxzo thought. Zhypker had been having cramps for days now. The time was coming. Noxzo moved closer to Zhyp. He licked her nose and across to her whiskers. She took a deep calming breath. Noxzo nuzzled her stomach lightly. He rested his head there for a moment. Noxzo could feel pups writhing around, begging to come out, to see the light. Zhypker gave a long howl of happiness for the pups. She couldn't wait to see them.

"I'm going hunting. You need food and strength." Zhypker looked at him with grateful eyes. He gave her one last kiss on the forehead, and then slithered out of the den. The snow had picked up during the night, and the elk prints would be easy to find. Zhypker needed food within the day, or who knows what might happen to the pups when she had no strength. Noxzo raced down the slope and towards the plains.

Noxzo couldn't pick up the scent tracks, but in several minutes, he found fresh hoof marks. Eagerly, he raced forward. Before him stood a herd consisting of a bull elk and seven cow elk. Noxzo stood there and studied the herd. He began to stalk the group. A cow elk was behind them. Noxzo needed to take down a slow cow elk. He raced straight through the herd. Hooves flew, yet he continued pressing them until several fell to the right or left of him. One was especially slow, and in addition it was the one that was lingering. He side-panned it, grabbing its throat, he tried to crush its windpipe, but the elk hit his leg with her hoof. He dropped off and built up speed slowly as his energy came back to life. The elk was only several yards from the river when Noxzo bit its rump. Blood came spilling out of the white rump. Noxzo sat down for a moment to catch his breath.

He scampered back up and began to run the elk down again. His jaws locked on to the elk. Its hoof came close to Noxzo's chest, causing him to drop off again. He paused, watching the elk walk back towards the herd. He ran forward again, trying to side-pan the elk again. He caught its' withers but to no prevail. He got nudged off from the elk's leg. Noxzo looked around, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. The elk ran into the river, Noxzo right on its tail. Noxzo dug his paws into the elk's stomach. It squealed with pain. Noxzo climbed up onto its back. The rapids wouldn't allow the elk to rear up or swing around. He clawed his way up to her neck. He repeatedly bit the top of the elk's neck until blood filled the river. The cow elk fell into the shallow water with a splash. She was two lengths away from the firm ground, to freedom.

Noxzo ate like a maniac. He left one large hind leg left. Gently, he picked it up, and swam across the river, and ran home. The sun had begun to set, and Zhypker desperately needed food tonight, and no later. The pups were coming sooner than expected. As Noxzo walked into the den, Zhypker pricked her ears up.

"Thank you," Zhypker whispered in a hoarse voice. She was shaking from the cold and her weakness from not eating. Noxzo shoved the leg in front of her. He lay on the other side of the leg while she ate. He laid his head on her withers and he shoved his ear backwards and listened to the vibrations of the pups squirming about. He loved Zhypker but he knew that he hadn't been a very good mate. He hadn't taken care of her enough. What if his pups died? Noxzo fell asleep with restless thoughts. When he awoke, Zhypker was twitching. Noxzo jumped up, slamming his head into the roof of the den. Dust fell, landing on top of Zhypker.

"Oh no, Zhyp, wake up. Hurry, wake up!" Dust had settled on her nose, and if she was about to give birth like Noxzo thought she was, Zhypker would need all the air she could get. Zhypker opened her eyes dreamily, and gave him a questioning look. "You have dirt on your nose." Almost on cue, Zhypker sneezed. Her body quivered violently. Noxzo's heart pounded, his was a crucial time to be shaking.

"The pups are coming." _Took her long enough to realize, _Noxzo thought. A wind picked up, spraying snow flurries around in the cave. Zhypker was near one month early! _The pups won't make it. Yes they will! No, they won't, it's too early. They're being born in mid-late winter, not late winter! How will they stay warm? It's okay, it's okay. _Noxzo nuzzled her cheek. She inhaled and exhaled in large breaths, trying to calm herself down. A wild yelp came out of her mouth. Noxzo couldn't stand the tension. He stared transfixed at one of the roots in the wall while Zhypker yelped for help that he couldn't provide. This was up to her.

"Noxzo, help, please," Zhypker pleaded. Noxzo ignored her cries. He heard her breath catch. Noxzo twisted around and stuck his head outside. The next minute, a high-pitched yip splintered the silence. Noxzo popped his head back inside. A white albino pup was wriggling around in the grass and dirt bedding that Noxzo had put in the den. Soon later, a pure-red pup lay next to the white one. Noxzo began to clean them off. He was overjoyed, never had he thought this moment would come. A tawny one came next, just like its Mom. Noxzo didn't mind if a pup didn't get his brown-red-with-a-bit-of-an-orange-tinged pelt. Zhypker tried to lean around to lick her pups, when another one began to come. She moaned and lay her head back down. A brown wolf was the last one. Noxzo couldn't believe his eyes. He was looking at a miniature replica of his father; a replica of Tizgone. "What should we name them?" Noxzo questioned. Zhypker looked up at him while she cleaned the pups.

"No idea. Let's figure it out." Two were male: the red one and the brown one. The runt was the brown one. The strong pup was the albino one. _I guess the blue eyes, being the runt and brown fur runs in the family, even though I have some red-orange mixed in with my coat._

Vozejie, Rydgo, Nitcloe, and Altami were introduced to the world. The pups eagerly drank Zhypker's milk. Vozejie looked like the strongest pup, but she didn't bully the others. She let them move in closer, swaying forwards and backwards, unsure if being nice was the right way to go. She huddled up next to Noxzo. Rydgo and Nitcloe settled down, she was finished eating for the next hour. Altami was different; needing the nourishment since he was the runt, he happily drank for a long while. Vozejie got up from Noxzo's side and used her sniffer to find the milk. The two sat there for a while until the others got back up fifteen minutes later. Vozejie seemed to have a connection to Noxzo. He licked her head repeatedly. The feel of her velvet fur tickled his tongue. Zhypker wagged her tail and let out big breathes, trying not to laugh at how enticed Noxzo was at how soft Vozejie's fur felt. They stayed in the den for two days straight without food or water.

Noxzo awoke on the third day, planning to scavenge or hunt an elk, and get water. A blizzard whipped the Slough Creek area in a swirl of whiteness. Noxzo climbed out of the den only to see one foot of snow in front of him. He needed to keep up with business. Noxzo trotted around the perimeter of the den, urinating the surrounding trees, bushes, and grass. He went yards away, leaving yellow splashes of snow in his wake. Noxzo then continued on towards the hunting grounds.

The snowflakes coated his fur a second after he would shake. Noxzo could hear an elk bellow, though the chance of seeing him would be zero. He staggered around in the snow that went up to his forearm. Noxzo turned back around to go back to the den site. All of a sudden, he noticed a large silver wolf to his far right, blinded by the snow. He went forward and greeted the strange wolf by barking. The wolf looked up at him. Its eyes were an icy blue, its muscles powerful like that of a Druid. Something was wrong. Noxzo knew those eyes. It was the eyes of his siblings.

"Nice to meet again, isn't it?" The wolf's voice rasped the air, yet its mouth didn't move

"Glayiia, speak like normal, please," Noxzo said. He shivered, but he didn't know whether it was from the cold or from the wolf that looked precisely like his sister, yet had Tizgone's bark.

"I think you know who I am." The silver wolf dropped to the ground, her body stiff as a board. Blood was running down her throat. A large brown wolf with sharp dagger-blue eyes stood before Noxzo.


	7. A Blood Spilt Day for All

Chapter VII

"It's you! You came back!" Noxzo stood frozen, eyes as small as a slit, narrowing at Tizgone's windpipe.

"Yes, you're right. I have come back. To kill you," Tizgone snarled. He leapt forward, catching his tooth on Noxzo's haw. Noxzo yelped with pain, but jumped onto Tizgone and dug his claws into his rump. Noxzo began to shred-up Tizgone's back with his canines. Tizgone bucked up, trying to get Noxzo off his back. The wolves fought with tooth and claw. This fight would mean life and death.

Noxzo was blinded with blood. His coat was matted to his skin within seconds. He grabbed at Tizgone's tail and bit down hard. A loud snapping sound exploded the air.

_A ruffle filled his eardrums, then all hearing ceased. His vision brightened into whiteness, and then flashed into black. The world was draining away. Noxzo shook his head, he wasn't going to blackout. He placed his paws beneath him, and brought himself back into a standing position. The form of the grizzly bear and the two miniature ones brought him back to reality. Everything was hazy, but that wasn't going to stop Noxzo from getting the food he wanted, the nourishment he needed. Noxzo exposed his teeth. The grizzly stood up on her hind legs. She had to be at least eight feet. Noxzo's pitiful instincts told him to flee, but his mind told him to go forward. He took one step, then a second, then a third. The grizzly dropped back down onto all fours. She bellowed at him. Yet, he didn't move one inch back. Instead, he crept forwards. The grizzly moved towards him quicker than Noxzo's reaction time. The grizzly swept her head around Noxzo, tearing at his stifle, while stepping on his pastern. A loud crack emitted from his pastern; the force had popped it._

Noxzo ignored the memory. He lashed down harder, but Tizgone swooped his head around and clamped his jaws down on Noxzo's healing scab. It reopened, warm blood dribbling onto the snow. Nothing was visible but fur, teeth, and blood. The two wolves were standing in an inch-thick blood pool; the snow around it had packed down, causing the liquid to stay. Noxzo ripped his head towards Tizgone, tail still in jaws. Tizgone howled a pitiful howl. His rump was covered with veins and blood. Tizgone grabbed Noxzo's throat and pulled him down into the thickening blood pool.

"You _will _be dead when I'm done with you." Tizgone tried to find Noxzo's neck, but instead slammed his teeth into his shoulder. Noxzo took the chance and leapt back onto his feet. He snarled, showing his pearl-white teeth. Noxzo spun around, and splashed the blood-snow at Tizgone. It made a 'splat' sound as it splattered in his face. The snow was picking up. The pups and their mother would need food and water. They all would die if Noxzo didn't win.

With renewed energy, Noxzo flung himself at Tizgone. He didn't care where his claws were grappling at. All he knew of was to draw blood. He scratched repeatedly at Tizgone's back. Tizgone bit his old-hurt pastern. _So he's playing that way. He's playing the "Hurts from the past." I can deal with that._

"Don't you remember how she died? Can't you remember why she died? The answers are clear in your head. You and I both know that." Tizgone stopped fighting to listen to Noxzo. A tear dripped down his eye. "It was because of you, Tizgone. You were the one who killed her. _You_ ended her life. Mom died for _me_. She didn't want you to murder me. By her dying, she knew you would be shaken up, and you would allow me to leave with my heart still intact."

"Enough of this rubbish," Tizgone howled, "You are young and inexperienced. You don't know anything." Noxzo raised his hackles and bit down on Tizgone's mouth. Blood and saliva mixed together dribbling out of his mouth. Noxzo kept his jaws on his muzzle while he twisted his head right, then snapped down. More blood came spilling out of Tizgone's mouth. His head was a large mass of blood-coated fur. Noxzo bore his canines into his shoulder. Tizgone couldn't open his jaws to howl through the caked blood. The snow was coming so fast and thick that the wolves couldn't see each other. Tizgone took a guess and dove at the level of a wolf's windpipe.

Noxzo felt teeth penetrate his throat. He tore free and began to run back towards the general direction of the den. He slipped and fell face first into the puddle. Tizgone was closing in from the other side of the three by three quagmire. Noxzo got up shakily, his feet sliding everywhere. The snow that wasn't being trampled on and melted from blood was up to Noxzo's withers. Tizgone growled and plowed on towards him, though, unlike Noxzo, his weight wasn't on his side. Noxzo fled ahead, running full-out towards the den.

He had to burrow his way through the snow to get to the den's tunnel. The pups were squirming around, sensing the blood and nervousness in the air. He shook his head at Zhypker's questioning look. She leaned against the wall while looking at the caked mess on Noxzo's pelt. She snuggled close to him while the puppies nursed. The storm continued to rage on.

The next morning, everything was still. The snowstorm had ceased. Vozejie, Rydgo, Nitcloe, and Altami were shivering from the cold. Vozejie began to climb up Zhypker's back. She clawed her way all the way up, and then fell in between the two wolves. Vozejie let out her first yip. Noxzo picked her up by the scruff of her neck and set her down in front of him. The two had a close bond. Before Noxzo knew it, Altami, the brown pup, had made his way over to him. Both had a special connection to Noxzo. They were a father's pups. Zhypker moved Rydgo and Nitcloe with the other two and laid her head on Noxzo's paw, watching the pups squirm around, their little eyes sealed shut.

"Let's go hunting together. The pups will be fine. The snow will cover up the scent." Zhypker nodded and got up. Her legs were shaky from weakness. Noxzo was limping from the wounds that scoured his whole body. The two were raggedy, but maybe they could take down a slow cow elk. Both of them grabbed mouthfuls of pine needles and lay them around the den, they would keep the puppies warmer than dirt could.

Zhypker picked up the trail and the two ran as fast as they could through the deep snow. A herd consisting of a bull elk and six cow elk lay before them, digging through the snow drifts to find grass. This must be the same herd Noxzo had hunted before. Zhypker went swooping around the far right of the herd and planted herself in a crouched position on the opposite side as Noxzo. He charged straight through. Three cow elk broke off from the herd, heading Zhypker's way. The one in the middle was slowest. She grabbed onto its neck, releasing the blood. Noxzo pounced onto its rump, ripping a large chunk of meat off. The elk stumbled in the deep snow, but the wolves weren't much better off. They sunk in the snow, causing precious time to be wasted. Zhypker bit onto its rump where the large chunk of meat had been taken. Noxzo began to gain speed again. He ran up to the flailing hooves. They didn't scare him. Zhypker and Noxzo bit at the elk's legs at the same time. The two raced together, staying onto the elk's tail. Noxzo took a moment to rest while Zhypker bit the elk yet again. Noxzo was slowly getting up when a yelp split the air. Zhypker lay in the snow, her jaw bleeding consistently. Fire welled up inside of him. It was like never before. He ran as fast as a wolf could in the snow. He caught up to the elk and bit down on its throat, and crushed it. The elk fell down, eyes lifeless. Noxzo glared at the hazy eyes as he imagined the worst possible thing for that elk. He trotted over to Zhypker. She was still bleeding, and her jaw seemed to be at a weird angle, but she would more than likely be okay within the week. Noxzo helped her up, and they went together to the carcass. His adrenaline faded into nothing, and as a replacement, aches enveloped all of his wounds.

They left the large right hind leg with meat. Noxzo turned his head sideways, glancing at Zhypker and then back down towards the bloody leg.

"Yes, Noxzo, take the leg back to the den. It'll be a nice snack. Maybe we can give a little teensy weensy piece to the pups. See if they like meat early on or not. Noxzo took the leg into his jaws and pulled back. His hind legs quivered, and he lifted his nose to the sky, stretching as far as he could to break the joints holding the whole mix together. A low creak, a twist, and the whole leg disconnected. Zhypker took a slow lope back towards the den, impatiently nudging Noxzo to hurry up. The hoof dragged along the ground, making one long line from the bones to the beginning of their territory.

"Wait," Noxzo grumbled out of his mouth.

"Come on, hurry up. You're as slow as molasses in the winter time!" Noxzo could sense her impatience. He picked the leg up between its stifle and its hock. They came up over the slight hill and the world revealed a coyote standing at the entrance to the den. It seemed healthy, and when it turned around to see what was coming, no foam was bubbling out of its mouth.

Zhypker's hackles bristled insanely. She ran towards the coyote. It wheeled around and tried to run off. It was a male, probably the mate of Mrs. Rabies. He tried to make a hefty escape, but Zhypker caught on to his rump in mid-flight down the slope towards undiscovered areas. He yelped and stumbled, slashing his teeth while nipping at Zhypker. He was by the river when Zhypker caught him yet again, and the blood that had spilled and the pain just now finally took its toll. He fell down dead, blood issuing out of his mouth and nose. Zhypker took a deep breathe, and then looked around. Past the river, a large wooden _thing_ stood there, blocking the source of…meat! Large beef cattle were grazing in a farmer's field. They were a noisy lot, mooing every three seconds. Zhypker's ears were lashed forward, her nose twitching rapidly. Her stomach was filled to the top, but this would be a good place to eat free food, the fat cows wouldn't serve to a chase.

"Noxzo, guess what?"

"What!" He poked his head out the hole of the den, a worried expression on his face. Zhypker shook her head, her eyes glimmering. "Oh, so nothing's wrong? Okay, then, what did you want to say? Did you kill the Mr. Rabies, and find food, or something? Not like we'd find, I don't know, a large group of fat elks," Noxzo muttered under his breathe.

"Actually…. I did. I did both. Killed the _coyote,_" She emphasized, "And found free food. Cattle, they're fat and very juicy looking! A few… Cowlets? Yes, a few Cowlets were there. They could feed all of us." Noxzo's jaw dropped. He shook his head, and then went back into the den. Zhypker crawled into the den. The pups were huddled in the corner of the den, with Vozejie blocking the other three from view. She must have been protecting them, even though Noxzo had been in the den for a while trying to get them to come out of the corner. Noxzo lay down at the entrance and Zhypker tried to coax the petrified little puppies out of the corner. Vozejie came over to her right away this time, stumbling a bit. Rydgo and Nitcloe came together, with little munchkin Altami shivering all alone.

Zhypker picked him up and he let out a squeaky yelp for help as he flew thru the air and landed on his mother's paws. He walked forward shakily and snuggled up close to Zhypker's chest. He nuzzled her, and she returned it by licking his back, smoothing down Altami's matted fur. Vozejie began to nurse, with the other two not too far behind. Noxzo twisted back around and lay down with his face looking into the den. He yearned for the next few weeks to go by, to see their eyes open, the Beginning. Then again… maybe not so fast, maybe he should keep his mind from speeding things up. For one: Noxzo might be staring into Tizgone's icy blue eyes again. See the bloody face loom back in front of him. Second, a week later from open eyes and the ability to speak would be what Noxzo and Zhypker decided to call the Awakening. The Awakening would be when the pups would first emerge from the den. And away from the den and out into the open meant danger for the pups: coyotes, grizzlies, hawks, they would all be looking for the perfect time to strike.


	8. It's Just the Beginning

Chapter VIII

Noxzo went out at five o' clock in the morning to hunt an elk. This was the big day for hunting, Noxzo could feel it. He ran press-paw speed through the dusting of snow that had fallen a few hours before. He stopped in his tracks, snow swirling in spirals around his paws. In his way stood two bull elk and past them, eleven cow elk. The two bulls were in full-fledged battle. A young bull that was around 680 pounds was challenging a large bull that must weigh about 850. The size difference between the two was immense. So far, the old one who was probably about eight years old was pulling up on top. He bellowed at the small bull and the youngling ran off. It was quite beat up. Noxzo sunk down into the grass and crept through the green-yellow bleached grass that slithered across his face. He came up to three yards away from the elk when it saw him and ran. Noxzo sprinted after it. The bull turned a sharp right, and Noxzo wheeled around and cut the distance between them in half. The bull's hoof rammed into Noxzo's nose and blood throbbed its way to the surface. Noxzo pulled up in alarm and stood there in the powdery red-streaked snow for a couple dozen seconds. Within the timeframe, a grizzly had caught sight of the slightly injured bull elk. It began charging it. The bear's muscles bulged to immensity that made the large bull look like a mouse. But this was the youngling. This was the one that was a cricket to the cat.

The grizzly bit down stubbornly onto the bull's rump and then yanked down and to the left. A splintering crackle, blood spraying like a geyser, a thud, and the bull was dead on the ground. The bear began to chow down on the carcass while Noxzo was slinking up behind it. A shrill bark cracked the air and Noxzo was on top of the grizzly, tearing at its beastly neck. The grizzly, furious, tried to bite Noxzo, but couldn't get its jaws locked. Noxzo shredded at the lump of grizzle and then dropped off of the bear's withers and fell down with a small plop. The bear snarled, and began to raise its paw when Noxzo growled back at equal intensity. Fuzz-ball thundered away, its brown bottom vanishing into the dawn. Noxzo howled rich and strong. Robins flew out of the grass and took to the sky.

Noxzo gobbled down his breakfast and ate a bit extra. With a bit of trouble, he tore off a leg and began to drag it. His breathe poured out in clouds. The pain in his nose throbbed until he thought it would pop off. Noxzo continued home through the pain, and before long, he could see the hill and then the large fir and the den's opening.

When Noxzo got there, he placed the leg down at the mouth of the entrance and then backed up. Zhypker came out of the hole to greet him. She stretched her front legs, and then, one by one, the back legs. She nuzzled Noxzo's cheek and he slowly ran his tongue over her muzzle. She wagged her tail and shoved her head under his. He leaned on her lightly.

"You seem excited. May I ask why?" Noxzo questioned her, moving slowly, grooming her shining head.

"The Beginning has begun. The pups have opened up their eyes. None of them have talked yet, but I have repeated words to them. Altami has your eyes," Zhypker whispered, shoving her head smoothly against Noxzo's neck.

"It has? It has!" Noxzo's heart pumped faster than when he had seen the grizzly. Then he began to think, _'Altami has your eyes,' she had murmured. My eyes equal Tizgone's eyes, _for the first time in a few weeks, he thought of his puppy life, his mother, Tizgone, Great Nanny, about the thought long ago of how hard pups would be…. Memories he had tried so hard to escape, to block, had just overcome him, raking his body with shivers. Zhypker withdrew a little, staring at Noxzo.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he muttered unconvincingly.

"I…. Okay, if you don't want to talk about it, fine," Zhypker replied thickly. She walked over to the edge of the ridge and looked down the small slant and farther on towards Slough Creek and the sunset deepening to a bloody sky striped with bubblegum pink clouds. Noxzo came up behind her and nuzzled her muzzle. She just turned away. Noxzo sat down and faced the other way, too. Zhypker turned to face him.

"I'll take a guess. It's your father.

"Don't call him 'Father'."

"Okay and you're regretting… everything involving the pups. You wish you didn't have to take head in the pack, fearing that you'll turn out like Tizgone, which you won't. Oh, and the fact of _all_ of the troubles in your life. You know you aren't the only one with problems, right? If you don't, learn now," Zhypker said flatly. She looked out to the ripples in the river, far away. Noxzo continued staring more to the south-west. He stared into nothing. He felt like a wasting away body. A loud clap of thunder coming from the east brought him back. Noxzo looked around at Zhypker and their blue shaded eyes locked. Noxzo turned away. Zhypker stood up and leaned her weight against Noxzo. "Don't let yourself become the nightmare you fear. Take time and come with me. Come see the pups. Vozejie seemed to perk up when I mentioned you. Don't drop into oblivion. That's too low for you. You're better than that. You are better than Tizgone. Open yourself to the pups… and me. Noxzo, listen to me!" Zhypker was howling at the top of her lungs. "Stop gazing!" She rammed her head full-throttle into his front right leg, causing searing pain in his pastern, and he fell somewhat. He looked up at her. Hurt lay settled in his eyes, burrowed into its depths.

Noxzo got back up and both wolves leaned against each other.

"You know what?" Noxzo asked. "I'm glad that I asked you to start a pack with me," he barked, seemingly to change his mind. "And now that I know you understand, I feel assured, I guess. Thank you, Zhypker. I could have never chosen a better mate. I want to see the pups. I want to see _our _pups, the puppies that you gave birth to, and the ones that I should father to." Zhypker nodded.

"I agree. Let's go." She began to walk towards the den when Noxzo barked, saying to halt. She stopped in her footsteps. Noxzo walked in front of her, and opened his mouth, closing it over hers. She shared the motion. Both wolves licked each other on their muzzles and the corners of their mouths, showing the strongest love for each other that they had in several weeks. Zhypker whimpered. Noxzo answered by nibbling her flew. She nuzzled him and then slipped away into the den. Reluctantly, not wanting to leave that moment, Noxzo followed.

Four sets of eyes stared at this new, strange wolf. They stared at its leg's scar, then up and right, up, and met eyes with it. Large, soft, caring blue eyes… yet they had an icy look to them. Noxzo stared at them. Each was precious. Small, tender, awoken, eyes bulging like a bubble-eyed goldfish, the pups warmed Noxzo inside. Vozejie was the first to step forward.

"Say hello," Zhypker said. "He-ll-o."

Vozejie began to move her mouth, and then piped out, "Say hell!"

"Hello," Noxzo cut in quickly, trying to block out the last word. Noxzo snickered. Zhypker glared at him like he had done a very bad thing giggling, showing the pups it was funny. "Sorry," he muttered. Zhypker nodded her head.

"He-ll-_o_. Try again, Vozejie."

"_Hel'lo._ My am Vozejie," she said, crimson eyes glowing, her chest held up high, tail flowing. She was proud.

"I am Dada," Noxzo said.

"I am Mommy," Zhypker yaps.

Vozejie watches each in turn and wags her tail. Her siblings sit there and watch, too. Hopefully they had learned.

"I am Rydgo," says the red pup with steel grey eyes, just like his mother's.

"I am Nitcloe," a good sized tawny pup with emerald green eyes howls. Every pup looked at the last little brown pup, gleaming ice-hot eyes.

"I… Altami?" he half asks, half says. Altami shivers, nervous.

"Good job, yes," Zhypker murmurs to the pups, soothing Altami with her rough tongue, brushing his fur. Altami shivers so bad, he seems like he will flip over onto the ground, and get a seizure. He looks up at his Mommy, eyes welling up with tears. He began to cry, large drops springing out and dribbling to the end of his nose, dropping at his paws. Vozejie trotted over to him.

"It is okay, Altami. You are okay. Okay?" Vozejie whispers to him. Altami sniffs and shoves his head into Vozejie's protective head. She lays her head protectively on his shoulders. Nitcloe and Rydgo sit there, watching, sad to see their brother like this. Rydgo advanced and went up to Altami's right and began to lick him. He did this clumsily, but still with care. Nitcloe comes last and nuzzles his neck lightly. Before too long, Altami is running around, tackling his siblings. He ended up with a great victory as he dragged the squirming Rydgo across the den's floor.

Zhypker and Noxzo lay down at the back of the den, watching the pups, exhausted after three hours straight of teaching them around two hundred words, all of which were simple like: what, then, the, a, I, and so on, including the colors. Noxzo was pressed in between his mate and the wall, but he was fine feeling her heart beat, her warm fur pressed up against his. He laid his head down on her withers. Zhypker smiles, and slowly begins to drift off when the pups begin tugging at her ears.

"What do you want," she asked, as the pups nip all around her head.

"What is that?" Nitcloe questioned, tilting her head towards the den's opening. "It's big and black with white twinkling things." All of the pups nodded their heads, looking around at each other.

"And we are hungry," Altami quietly added on.

Zhypker wakes Noxzo up. He just grunts and puts his head on his paws. She stretched then hunched her back. A gurgling sound and then a racking, and gooey meat comes spilling out of her mouth. The pups back up with disgust. Vozejie lifts her paw up, and her eyes narrow. They slowly advance, noses twitching at immense speed.

"What's this, do you think, Altami?" Rydgo asked, looking over his shoulder at his brother.

"Mommy, what is this?" Altami redirected at Zhypker.

"Your new diet- and diet means food. The food that you shall now get _very_ used to," Zhypker explained. "Eat up!" The pups just looked around at each other. None of them moved. Finally, Altami steps forward and takes a bite, and very slowly swallows. Glee shows on his face and he dips his head back down and starts chugging it down. Rydgo is next. A grin split on his face and he continued to eat. Vozejie and Nitcloe advanced as one and both took a bite. Every pup ate as much as their bellies could hold, Altami being the fattest puppy out of all of them in the end. His stomach was as round as a golf ball. He seemed happier, as well.

"So, what is that black thing?" Vozejie asked.

"That is The Night. It is a large black expanse that encloses the blue sky of day, which is when it is bright and we are awake. When The Night comes, it is a time of sleep and rest. White dots line The Night and those are the stars. Once you see the sun, you will understand that they are miniature suns. The sun is a large mass of heat and balls of yellow fire. That is why the earth is warm. Everything shall become clear within another week when you will all move on to the outside world and see the sky and the sun, trees, grass, clouds, so much more than you've seen now, even though it doesn't go on forever." All four went to the hole to peer out when Zhypker put her paw in front before they could see any more outside. She swept them back towards Noxzo. "It's night time," she murmured.

"Okay, Mommy!" They all said together. Zhypker lay down next to Noxzo again and he resumes with his head on her again. The pups lay down at Zhypker's stomach, taking a small amount of milk before going to bed with their parents. Zhypker puts a paw around them. Crickets chirped and a breeze flew through the trees. Air whistled into the den as Altami edges an inch to his right at the edge of Zhypker's paw, and stares at The Night and the little stars. Slowly he falls asleep, too.


End file.
